JOIN USChris Morris most expensive buy in IPL with 16.25 crore Rajasthan Royals deal
All-rounder Chris Morris broke the record for the most expensive buy in IPL Auction history after being picked up by Rajasthan Royals for a jaw-dropping Rs 16.25 crore while Karnataka’s K Gowtham was the biggest winner amongst the Indians, the off-spinner collecting a cool Rs 9.25 crore from Chennai Super Kings.
Fast bowlers were in demand at the mini auction in Chennai. Punjab splurged Rs 14 crore on Jhye Richardson and Rs 8 crore on uncapped Riley Meredith (both Australians). Delhi Capitals bought Tom Curran for Rs 5.25 crore while Mumbai Indians picked Nathan Coulter-Nile (Rs 5 crore) and Adam Milne (Rs 3.20 crore).
Royal Challengers Bangalore were lavish in shelling out Rs 15 crore on Kyle Jamieson of New Zealand.
Royal Challengers also went all out in getting an ‘X-factor’ player who can lighten the load on the star duo of Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers. They waged an intense war with arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings before signing Glenn Maxwell for Rs 14.25 crore, despite being acutely aware of the Australian’s inconsistent performance in the IPL. Maxwell, nicknamed the Big Show, averages a mere 22.13 with 6 fifties in 82 IPL games.
RCB also a got a cut price deal on Mohammed Azharuddeen, signing the talented Kerala wicketkeeper-batsman for Rs 20 lakh. Azharuddeen smashed the second fastest century in the recently held Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy against Mumbai and is a good back-up keeper.
Shahrukh Khan, named after the Bollywood icon because his mother’s love for the actor, attracted a good bidding war too. Punjab Kings finally locked the Tamil Nadu off-spinning batsman for Rs 5.25 crore. Punjab, who came into the auction with the biggest purse, also made a good buy in Dawid Malan for just Rs 1.5 crore.